Cancelled Caribbean Princess cruise-Disappointed in Princess response

[Irene cruiser]

We booked our entire cruise, insurance and air through Princess. We have only received credit on our charge account for the cancelled Caribbean Princess cruise plus insurance. We recently received an email from Princess which listed a total of "0" for a future air credit. We assumed this meant we would be receiving a full refund on our credit card account for air and various penalties we incurred for re-booking an earlier flight home from San Juan.

Today we were told by our "Personal Princess Travel Person" we would be getting a "future air credit" instead of a credit to our charge account. Since we are unable to travel this year the air credit would be useless because it would expire in a year. We find this totally unacceptable. In addition, we have heard nothing about the other charges we have incurred. The 25% refund offered by Princess for a future cruise amounts to only $157 per person for us. Our non refunded expenses are a great deal more.

My husband had surgery in January and we were looking forward to a pleasant, calm, cruise. Instead, we ended up in an extremely stressful situation. This would have been our 24th cruise with Princess. As loyal Princess passengers we expected and deserved better treatment from Princess.

[Loonbeam]

The issue with Airfare is an airline rule, not Princess. For air, Princess only acts as a booking agent, same as a TA, unless they are chartering a flight (rare). Most airline fares of any reasonable price are non-refundable and subject to change fee (the best you can do is a 1 year valid voucher minus change fee - as you noted). In this case, unless Princess were to decide to pay everyones air themselves (not realistic) there is not much else they can do.

 

I am curious as to other non-refunded expenses are? Other than air and maybe a prebooked hotel I can't think of any offhand. Depending on what they are you may have options. If you mean the expenses incurred by changing your flight, I can't see why Princess would be obligated to pay those, since you made the changes to a non-refundable ticket after booking. But if there were others, there may be some way of getting partial credit.

[PescadoAmarillo]

What bothers me about this (and this is the second instance I've read of air booked through Princess on the cancelled cruises) is that purchasing the insurance gets you NOTHING different than someone who didn't purchase the insurance. I really would have expected that purchasing air and insurance through Princess would have meant a return of your airfare. Instead, you are getting a future air credit as anyone would (I'm not sure about the change fee...the other instance I read about the change fee still applied). This makes no sense to me. Princess cancelled the cruise...you purchased everything through Princess. I would expect a return of everything except the insurance.

[caribill]

From the airline's viewpoint, you did use your ticket. You flew to the cruise and you flew home from it even though at a different time.

 

The airline has used your money. They have no credit to give to you no matter how the ticket was booked (refundable or not).

 

So it is up to Princess to keep the promise to refund the cost of the aborted cruise including the airfare and the charges to change your ticket, extra hotel expenses, etc.

 

I suggest writing a polite letter to upper management. Keep it to the point and tell what had been promised and by whom.

[Love.II.Cruise]

We just booked our air deviations today and wanted separate insurance for the air... but since it was part of the cruise, that was not possible. So we would face this same thing as the OP if we had to cancel.

 

If you book your air other than through the cruise line and buy insurance on it, then I believe that is a completely different story and you do not have to rebook air within a year.

[caribill]

If you book your air other than through the cruise line and buy insurance on it, then I believe that is a completely different story and you do not have to rebook air within a year.

 

Insurance would cover air if the air was not able to be used.

 

The air was used (both directions), but the cruise was aborted. I do not think most insurance policies would pay for air that was used.

[Cruise Junky]

Insurance would cover air if the air was not able to be used.

 

The air was used (both directions), but the cruise was aborted. I do not think most insurance policies would pay for air that was used.

 

I've actually been reading a lot of reports lately that the air wasn't covered where the cruise line cancelled because you still get a credit for the air to use within the year. Would be interesting to see how different it's treated between different policies.

[Loonbeam]

One key note here is that the insurance was refunded. Which means there is now NO insurance in play.

 

This is also why I don't use Princess EZ Air. There's an impression you are buying air travel from Princess, but you are not. With EzAir, its the same as if you bought the ticket via Orbitz, your local TA or the airline website in terms of passenger rights. In the case of the cruise and to some extent the insurance, Princess is the service provider. In the case of air, they are acting in the capacity of agent only and I don't think they make this clear enough.

[PescadoAmarillo]

One key note here is that the insurance was refunded. Which means there is now NO insurance in play.

But there was an example a couple of weeks ago where the insurance wasn't refunded, and still an air credit less the change fees was given. I just don't understand the whole insurance thing.

 

But perhaps I'm feeling a bit burned right now...just received a check for a ring I lost in the surf on our Princess cruise. It was depreciated 20%. A ring. Was depreciated. When the price of gold has almost doubled. Oh well, it's better than nothing, but not quite the coverage I thought I had purchased.

[Dayenu]

We booked our entire cruise, insurance and air through Princess. We have only received credit on our charge account for the cancelled Caribbean Princess cruise plus insurance. We recently received an email from Princess which listed a total of "0" for a future air credit. We assumed this meant we would be receiving a full refund on our credit card account for air and various penalties we incurred for re-booking an earlier flight home from San Juan.

 

Did you read the insurance, small print, what it covers before you paid? Did you take the cruise or part of it - not clear from your post "cancelled cruise" but at the same time "earlier flight home" ?

 

Do you have a copy of insurance, can you see what is covered?

[Loonbeam]

It all depends on the terms of the particular policy. For example, on my annual policy, if I incur a change fee due to certain circumstances they pay it, for others they don't. My policy covers replacement on lost items, others cover depreciated value.

 

On the ring you didn't do so badly. A lot of policies wouldn't cover a ring lost like that at all...

 

 

But there was an example a couple of weeks ago where the insurance wasn't refunded, and still an air credit less the change fees was given. I just don't understand the whole insurance thing.

 

But perhaps I'm feeling a bit burned right now...just received a check for a ring I lost in the surf on our Princess cruise. It was depreciated 20%. A ring. Was depreciated. When the price of gold has almost doubled. Oh well, it's better than nothing, but not quite the coverage I thought I had purchased.

[Irene cruiser]

The issue with Airfare is an airline rule, not Princess. For air, Princess only acts as a booking agent, same as a TA, unless they are chartering a flight (rare). Most airline fares of any reasonable price are non-refundable and subject to change fee (the best you can do is a 1 year valid voucher minus change fee - as you noted). In this case, unless Princess were to decide to pay everyones air themselves (not realistic) there is not much else they can do.

 

I am curious as to other non-refunded expenses are? Other than air and maybe a pre booked hotel I can't think of any offhand. Depending on what they are you may have options. If you mean the expenses incurred by changing your flight, I can't see why Princess would be obligated to pay those, since you made the changes to a non-refundable ticket after booking. But if there were others, there may be some way of getting partial credit.

 

Why should the airline be responsible for issuing a future air credit when the air tickets were already utilized. Princess cancelled our cruise and they should be responsible for refunding the cost of the tickets in addition to penalties for re booking an earlier flight home. We left earlier to eliminate additional charges for hotel and food, which we thought would be the responsibility of Princess.

Some extra charges--baggage on American, seats on Jet Blue, round trip taxi to airport, food from 4/17 to 4/21. We stayed with relatives for a few days or there would have been hotel charges.

Many phone calls to book a cruise on another cruise line. Quite a bit of stress for seniors with some health issues.

[cherylandtk]

I think a lot of the confusion comes also when people book via EzAir and don't understand the fine print when it comes to the choice between Flexible Fares and Restricted Fares. If you choose the Restricted Fare, you are choosing a non-refundable fare and can only obtain a flight credit if you cancel, regardless of the reason for cancellation. Whether or not you are able to use the flight credit is a separate issue.

 

Passengers from the cancelled cruises may think that because they booked their air via Princess that they will be refunded cash, but if they chose a Restricted Fare, their refund can only be in the form a flight credit. Change fees, fares on replacement flights and partially used tickets can eat up a large portion of the flight credit as well.

[caribill]

I think a lot of the confusion comes also when people book via EzAir and don't understand the fine print when it comes to the choice between Flexible Fares and Restricted Fares. If you choose the Restricted Fare, you are choosing a non-refundable fare and can only obtain a flight credit if you cancel, regardless of the reason for cancellation. Whether or not you are able to use the flight credit is a separate issue.

 

Passengers from the cancelled cruises may think that because they booked their air via Princess that they will be refunded cash, but if they chose a Restricted Fare, their refund can only be in the form a flight credit. Change fees, fares on replacement flights and partially used tickets can eat up a large portion of the flight credit as well.

 

Neither of these applies to this situation.

 

The airfare that was part of the cruise was 100% used. The poster took the flight to the cruise and, after the cruise was aborted mid-week, took the flight back home. Poster did not cancel the air, poster used it on a ruined vacation.

 

Princess promised to refund expenses associated with the aborted cruise which includes both the total cruise fare and the airfare, no matter how the airfare was booked.

[cherylandtk]

Princess promised to refund expenses associated with the aborted cruise which includes both the total cruise fare and the airfare, no matter how the airfare was booked.

Bill, I think what is demonstrably happening now, per the OP's post as well as others this week, is that my above post actually does apply to the cancelled cruises. I understand that pax on these cruises were told, or at least have reason to believe they were told, they would receive a refund of all expenses. But that is not consistent with the press release issued by Princess, nor is it what has now been reported by the OP and others. Pax who booked NR air through Princess are being told they are getting flight credits not a refund. And at least some who used all or part of that airfare (such as the OP who was on the shortened cruise) are being told they won't get even the air credit, since they used the flights. It would appear then, that Princess may be refunding cruise fares, but is only refunding (or in some cases only crediting) unused ancillary costs, even if those ancillary items were booked through Princess.

[Loonbeam]

Ah. It wasn't clear to me from the original post that the poster had already departed. The way I read it was it was a future cancellation and air travel had not been involved yet.

 

Different situation then. And now we get into the issue of moral versus contractual obligations.

 

In that the tickets are used, you are right, the airlines are out of the mix.

 

Under the terms of EZAir, if you purchased a non-refundable ticket, then Princess is within the rules to issue a flight credit as opposed to cash from a contractual standpoint. Given the nature of the cancellation, morally I think they should refund in cash, but thats a matter of opinion and customer service.

 

The other incidentals should have been handled by trip insurance depending on the policy. However, since the insurance was refunded that gets murky. Was the policy engaged and then princess refunded you the cost or did they cancel the policy? I would suggest checking on that, if the policy is still in force you might be able to claim against it.

 

Why should the airline be responsible for issuing a future air credit when the air tickets were already utilized. Princess cancelled our cruise and they should be responsible for refunding the cost of the tickets in addition to penalties for re booking an earlier flight home. We left earlier to eliminate additional charges for hotel and food, which we thought would be the responsibility of Princess.

Some extra charges--baggage on American, seats on Jet Blue, round trip taxi to airport, food from 4/17 to 4/21. We stayed with relatives for a few days or there would have been hotel charges.

Many phone calls to book a cruise on another cruise line. Quite a bit of stress for seniors with some health issues.

[chrissmith321]

Irene,

 

I hope you do what my wife and I did. After getting no phone call about our cancelled cruise that was to depart after yours, I went back to the cruise line asking for compensation as I had non-refundable airfare to San Juan and only 5 hours notice of the cruise being cancelled. Their response was basically so sad too bad. I told them outright that after 14 Princess cruises, it was sad to say I would NEVER be on one of their ships again. Appears that Carnival is running the show and their is no more class or customer service left in this line.

 

I hope you find a better cruise line as well for your future cruises.

[Treven]

Perhaps the OP can ask the assistance of Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter?:)

[Cruise Junky]

Perhaps the OP can ask the assistance of Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter?:)

 

Very good idea.

[lcmslady]

The airfare was used if you were already in San Juan. I would have thought that the trip interruption portion of your policy (if it had one) would have covered the additional costs to go home early.

 

To me this illustrates why you should never get your insurance through the cruise line. Never put all your eggs in one basket. If the cruiseline goes belly up, you're not likely to get paid by the insurance.

 

I always buy travel insurance but never through the cruise line. I use Travelguard - reasonable prices and great service (someone in my family has had to use it).

 

Good luck!

[Pam in CA]

The airfare was used if you were already in San Juan. I would have thought that the trip interruption portion of your policy (if it had one) would have covered the additional costs to go home early.

 

To me this illustrates why you should never get your insurance through the cruise line. Never put all your eggs in one basket. If the cruiseline goes belly up, you're not likely to get paid by the insurance.

 

I always buy travel insurance but never through the cruise line. I use Travelguard - reasonable prices and great service (someone in my family has had to use it).

Actually, except for the airfare, which was used, it's a very good reason to get Princess insurance. It has cancel for any reason and trip interruption. I have, unfortunately, had reason to use it

[PescadoAmarillo]

We are purchasing Princess insurance more and more these days. For years we were too young for it to make financial sense, but now we're right at the point where it does (and we get the Elite upgrade to platinum). When I look at the cancel for any reason coverage, and I read about events that arise where people use it, I can't imagine buying anything else now. No, independent air is not covered, but if that's a big deal you can purchase a cheap separate policy (we just self-insure for the air fare). But when those unusual things in nature affect my ability to get to a ship but not the ship's ability to sail (earthquake in Chile, hurricane in NY), it would be wonderful to be able to say, "I just don't want to deal with the grief, so I'll cancel", and get 100% of our cancellation charges back.

 

But I'll admit that insurance coverage is a very grey area to me. Every case is a bit different, and that probably explains why some people have no issues with travel insurance claims and others are surprised by what's NOT covered. But given a choice of taking a chance and going without it or taking a chance and buying it, we always buy it these days.

[Cygneagile]

I agree with the above noted suggestion. I never buy the cruise line insurance. We have several avenues here in Ontario and they are extremely good. The amount to be paid is governed by the total amount of the cruise including air.

Because you used your flight then there is nothing you can do. Have you contacted your credit card company? I know that if the purchase or event has not taken place they may withdraw via debiting Princess Cruises. What dollar amount are we talking about here? Over 500 or more???

Look what happened to the Concordia, there were not given a great deal across the board. But then they have a Class action suit so that may bring some people closure.

I realize it is very frustrating when we lose money but in the long run I do not believe that other Cruise Lines would be any different in their policies.

You may just have to bite the bullet.

[A&L_Ont]

Actually, except for the airfare, which was used, it's a very good reason to get Princess insurance. It has cancel for any reason and trip interruption. I have, unfortunately, had reason to use it

 

I agree with you Pam. We use Princess Insurance for the cost of the cruise and hotel (if we booked one) and book flights on our own. Our daughther had numerous medical complications she was born with. We used Princess Insurance for a cruise we had to cancel 3 weeks prior to departure. She needed to go in for a g-tube for feeding. We recieved all the money back less the cost of insurance. 100% refund less insurance is a no brainer in our situation. Many insurance providers do not cover pre-exsisting medical conditions for family members not travelling with you. She was born with these conditions and never fullfilled 6 months on time required without symptons prior to full payment.

 

After her diagnosis we learned to read travel insurance very carefully. Before our children were born we got it but never really read it to carefully. Unfortunately our little Allison passed away this March at just 2 years of age.

 

On a lighter note, Pam I like your new picture:).

[PescadoAmarillo]

A&L, I am so very sorry for your loss. Your post certainly puts everything else in perspective.